The Chief of Engineers recommends construction of levees, a hurricane barrier and other appurtenant works to protect the area at an estimated Federal cost of $32,620,000 subject to certain items of local cooperation including a cash contribution of $16,851,000. Local interests have indicated a willingness to comply with these requirements. The benefit-to-cost ratio is 1.4 to 1. Comments of the State and other Federal agencies are favorable.

The Bureau of the Budget has no objection to the submission of this report. However, the Bureau of the Budget notes that the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors has recommended field studies and hydraulic model investigations during the preconstruction planning stage to determine the specific effect of the proposed barrier on water quality, fish and wildlife, and currents. The Bureau therefore expects that a reevaluation of benefits and costs reflecting the results of these studies would be made before funds are requested for initiation of construction. This will be done.

Mr. WRIGHT. Describe a hurricane barrier to us a bit. As I see it from the map it appears to be a cross section, considerably wider at the bottom than at the top. If I properly read it, it is about 12 feet high.

Is it felt that the erection of this type of revetment around the affected area will materially reduce the damages sustained by a hurricane?

Colonel YOUNG. Yes, sir. The barrier itself is across the entrance to Jamaica Bay, and it will have an ungated opening. The barrier itself will be solid and tied into the high ground, or the ground on either side. In the case of the north side it is tied to high ground, and in the case of the south side it will be tied into the levees, but it is in effect a solid slope from the bottom to the top, a dam built in the water. It has the effect, sir, of reducing the storm tides, the height of the storm tides, inside of Jamaica Bay.

Mr. WRIGHT. Sort of a shock absorber for the main thrust of the storm?

Colonel YOUNG. Yes, sir.

Mr. WRIGHT. Questions?

Mr. BALDWIN. I have no questions.

Mr. CRAMER. I have no questions.

Mr. WRIGHT. We will now hear from Congressman Addabbo, of New York.

STATEMENT OF HON. JOSEPH P. ADDABBO, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK

Mr. ADDABBO. Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, I appreciate this opportunity to appear before you in support of the report of the Chief of Engineers on a cooperative beach erosion control study and an interim hurricane survey of the Atlantic coast of New York City from East Rockaway Inlet to Rockaway Inlet and Jamaica Bay, N.Y., and the proposals for corrective action.

Much of the area covered does not lie in my congressional district, and I do not propose to speak for my colleagues who are concerned and ably speak for themselves. I shall confine my remarks to the

proposals and need for protection in Jamaica Bay. The entire southern border of my district is on this bay.

Jamaica Bay is 8 miles long, 4 miles wide, and covers an area of approximately 26 square miles. Communities in my district which border on the bay are Howard Beach, Rosedale-reached by Hook Creek, and the John F. Kennedy International Airport-a veritable city unto itself.

Howard Beach, including Hamilton Beach, is experiencing a tremendous and rapid growth. The population figure of 13,000 given in the Engineers report is based on the 1960 census which is no longer realistic entire communities have sprung up within the boundaries of Howard Beach since 1960. Howard Beach is constantly under the threat of flooding in the shore area from any abnormally high tides. Rosedale is not physically on Jamaica Bay as is Howard Beach, but Hook Creek is the means by which flooding, at times up to 3 feet, comes to this community.

The John F. Kennedy International Airport, entirely within my congressional district, occupies approximately 4,900 acres of land bordering on Jamaica Bay between Bergen Basin and Head of Bay. The airport continues to expand as marshland is filled in for runway extensions, et cetera. Flooding from severe storms causes disruption to flight activities. As this airport expands its activities, there is an increase in the demand for gasoline and other supplies, much of which reaches the airport by water transportation, using the navigation. channels in Jamaica Bay.

Mr. Chairman, House Document 215, 89th Congress, refers to pollution in Jamaica Bay and states:

A considerable degree of pollution abatement measures have been undertaken in the Jamaica Bay area.

This is true, and I can assure you that pollution abatement in Jamaica Bay is a priority project at this time. Borough President Mario J. Čariello has his staff working around the clock on this problem, which has been and is a grave one.

I know that the pollution problem will be solved. If we can secure hurricane protection, and I am sure this committee will see the necessity for this and authorize the project, I can see untold benefits accruing to untold numbers of people. Jamaica Bay has the potential for becoming a great recreation and commercial area. With adequate protection, we may look forward to a tremendous increase in boating, swimming, fishing, and other water related activities. These activities, will of course, bring demands for business facilities to supply the needs of these interests, and so it goes with demand and supply. Business brings profits and profits are taxed and income flows to the Treasury. In Queens County we seek additional business investment-I know that this project will be another incentive for such investment. Mr. Chairman, the survey and hurricane study which has resulted in the proposals set forth in House Document No. 215, 89th Congress, was authorized in June 1955-we have waited 10 years. Since the authorization in 1955, we have suffered numerous severe storms and hurricanes which have caused great property damage, and there is every reason to believe that we will again be victims of destructive storms before protection is afforded. It is noted that before the final

design of the hurricane barrier for the entrance to Jamaica Bay is made, "field studies and hydraulic model investigations be conducted in connection with the final design of the project to determine the specific effects of the proposed hurricane barrier on water quality, fish and wildlife, and currents in Jamaica Bay." All of this necessarily takes time, so I urge you to speedily approve this project so that we may get on with the work that must be done at the earliest possible date.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. WRIGHT. Pass on to the next project, Staten Island, N.Y.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.

Colonel YOUNG. Staten Island, sir, is found on page 95 of the Senate report.

The area under consideration is that section of the coast of Staten Island extending along lower New York and Raritan Bays from Fort Wadsworth at the Narrows to Totenville at the mouth of Arthur Kill. This 13-mile reach of shoreline is subjected to serious erosion problems and hurricane tidal flooding from storms of severe intensity. The Chief of Engineers recommends combined shore and hurricane protection to protect the area at an estimated Federal cost of $6,230,000 subject to certain items of local cooperation including a cash contribution of $2,574,000. Local interests have indicated a willingness to comply with these requirements. The benefit-to-cost ratio is 1.8 to 1. Comments of the State and Federal agencies are favorable. The Bureau of the Budget has no objection to the submission of this report. Mr. WRIGHT. Just as a matter of curiosity, this appears to be a highly developed commercial and industrial area. Is it basically that, is it public beaches for recreation purposes? What, fundamentally, exists here on this section of Staten Island?

Colonel YOUNG. This 13-mile reach of shoreline is extensively developed for recreation and is primarily residential, but there is considerable commerce and industry.

The estimated value of land and improvements is in excess of $86 million.

In 1960, the permanent population within about 1 mile of the shore in this particular area was approximately 24,000, so it is a highly developed area, primarily residential but does include some recreation, some industry, and some commerce.

Mr. WRIGHT. Waves have been washing the shore out from under the development?

Colonel YOUNG. Yes, sir.

Mr. WRIGHT. Questions?

Mr. BALDWIN. This states the Federal share is estimated to be 62 percent, 70 percent in the next one, and 41 percent in the case of the third one.

You mentioned earlier that in hurricane projects the basic guide is 70 percent Federal contribution maximum.

What is the basis for determining the Federal contributions in each of these cases?

Colonel YOUNG. This is a combined beach erosion-shore protectionhurricane protection project. If you will remember, in our previous

discussion we discussed the 50-50 sharing on beach erosion and the 70-30 sharing on hurricane protection.

We separate those benefits dealing with the hurricane protection features and those benefits dealing with the beach erosion protection features and then we apply the various percentages and arrive at a combined percentage such as the figures indicated here.

Mr. WRIGHT. How would you get 41 percent?

Colonel YOUNG. I believe in this particular instance, sir, there are private beaches protected, where if you will remember I said there was a zero percent in the case of protecting strictly private beaches, so that would reduce it below the 50 percent.

Mr. WRIGHT. Further questions?

Mr. CRAMER. This is an interesting project. You have a combination of beach erosion and hurricane protection. Are your running into that combination approach many times now?

Colonel YOUNG. Yes, sir. We have other projects in this presentation which also are combined projects.

Mr. CRAMER. Hurricane is relatively new and therefore this is a somewhat new approach, is it not?

Colonel YOUNG. Yes, sir; the first project was authorized in 1958. Mr. CRAMER. I was in Staten Island a few months ago. What will be the effect of this 2.7 miles of levee, for instance, the Graham Beach to Oakwood Beach, so far as future use of that area for public beach purposes is concerned? That area now is used as a public beach, is it not?

Colonel YOUNG. Yes, sir.

Mr. CRAMER. What happens to that public beach area when you put a levee on it?

Colonel YOUNG. The beach remains a public use beach, sir. As a matter of fact, one of the requirements of local cooperation specifies that it remain a public use beach.

The beach is in front of the levee and there is a plan of the State of New York to build a proposed shorefront drive along there which would be coordinated with the construction of the levee so that for all intents and purposes the levee and the drive probably would be adjacent, or one and the same.

Mr. CRAMER. Would it be on the shore side?

Colonel YOUNG. Yes.

Mr. CRAMER. It would possibly be atop the levee?

Colonel YOUNG. Atop or adjacent to. Possibility exists it would be at the top. This, of course, will be coordinated during the preconstruction planning phase of the project.

Mr. CRAMER. What is the height of those levees? How do you get to the levee at the beach?

Colonel YOUNG. The slope of the levee is flat enough to walk from the top to the beach.

Mr. CRAMER. What happens to the property at the rear of the levee so far as development for housing or anything else with the view cut off? There are homes in that area to the rear, I imagine it would be west of the levee.

Colonel YOUNG. The local people have not objected to this, sir. I do not believe the height will be to the extent that it will actually cut off a major portion of the view.

Mr. CRAMER. What is the height?

Colonel YOUNG. It is 14 to 15 feet above mean sea level.

Mr. BALDWIN. Perhaps they might prefer to have the view cut off rather than being flooded.

Mr. CRAMER. It would be a tough choice for some of those people if you were talking about Florida. A lot of them would as soon have the view and take their chances rather than have a 14-foot wall cutting off their view, and also the beach area might not be accessible.

Would you be able to go from the western side of the levee to the eastern side of the levee?

Colonel YOUNG. Yes, sir.

Mr. CRAMER. Only from public access roads to the beach?

Colonel YOUNG. There would be walkways provided where needed. Mr. CRAMER. They have proposed a hurricane wall with Tampa Bay. It has not met with very much public sentiment and support so far as I have detected.

I think consideration of the levee-type storm and hurricane protection, a program which I support, incidentally, combined with beach erosion control actually has different objectives to be served.

Beach erosion control generally does not have the effect of cutting off the beach area for private and public uses. I would hope in formulating plans for such programs adequate consideration will be given to that phase of it. You obviously have some choice between hurricane protection and beach erosion protection.

When you cut off the whole area, such as you do here, it is a serious proposition so far as back side land use is concerned.

Colonel YOUNG. I believe it has been given consideration and I know it has been coordinated with the local interests.

As I indicated, we have no known local opposition to this arrangement and this plan of protection.

Mr. CRAMER. Having been through that area I wanted it known it is not too greatly developed residentially close to the beach in this particular area to the south. If it were developed you would very likely run into considerable opposition, I would think.

Colonel YOUNG. Yes, sir.

Mr. CRAMER. That is all I have.

Mr. WRIGHT. Further questions?

(No response.)

Mr. WRIGHT. If not we shall move along to the next project, Rahway River, N.J.

RAHWAY RIVER, N.J.

Colonel YOUNG. Rahway River, N.J., project is found on page 96 of the Senate report, sir.

The Rahway River Basin is located in the northeastern part of New Jersey and within the Greater New York City metropolitan area. Flooding on the Rahway River is an annual occurrence. The Chief of Engineers recommends the construction of local flood protection works at South Orange on the east branch of the Rahway River at an estimated Federal cost of $1,514,000 subject to certain requirements of local cooperation. Local interests have indicated a willingness to meet the requirements of local cooperation. The benefit-to-cost ratio is 1.4 to 1. Comments of the State and Federal agencies are favorable.